James g



Filed NOV'. ll, 1925 n. E. y

INVENTR dme @2l/Ele?? BY WWNK ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES G. NOLEN, 01? NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT 1l.. vMCIEITRCTY, OF OHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA.

SGN'AL-ALARM DEVICE FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS.

y Application filed November 11, 1925. Serial No. 68,434.

This invention relates to signal alarm devices for automatic tire sprinkler systems for giving or transmittingto a distant point a signal indicating that the sprinkler system is in active operation, the invention relates particularly to safety means to prevent the giving of a false alarm by water hammer or other sudden rise of pressure in the system, though it is noted that the invention is not limited to sprinkler systems, nor to valves, nor even in some respects even to signal devices.

One object of the invention is to provide an etlicient device for disabling the signal alarm when the latter would otherwise be set ofl by water hammer or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an etlicient apparatus or device adapted to be actuated by increased pressure within a pipe or other closed system for actuating an exterior signal or other device.

Another object oi' the invention is to provide an improved apparatus or device consisting of electric circuits which will operate only on the coincidence of two, but not one, of certain predetermined contingencies.

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally the simplicity and eiiiciency of such alarm and safety devices and to provide an apparatus of this kind which is reliable,` durable, and economical to manufacture and operate. y l y Still other objects el the invention will appear as the description proceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described and claimed, the invention is not limited to these since many and various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed in the broader claims.

The inventive Lfeatures for the accomplishment of these and other objects are shown herein in connection with a sprinkler system havinga riser having therein a check valve having a valve member and a projecting stein held raised by said Vvalve member when closed. A pipe passed into said riser below the valve carries on its outer end a casing having a small vent communieating` with the pipe. Said pipe also carries a bellows in the casing communicating with the pipe and adapted when distended to raise aprojecting lever. `An electric means including a circuit closed by said stem and lever when both are down at the same time brings about the ringing of a bell if said stem is lowered by the opening et the check valve without the simultaneous raising of said lever, as by water hammer.

In the accompanying drawing, showing by way ot example, one of many possible embodiments of the invention.

The ligure shows the complete apparatus, a portion et a sprinkler system being shown in elevation and partial vertical section, said casing being in vertical section and the electric means in diagram.

My invention is shown in combination with a sprinkler system including a conduit or riser 1() and branch pipesll communicating therewith provided with sprinkler heads 12. A check valve interposed in said riser comprises a casing having therein a large` valve seat 15 on which is pivotally mounted a valve member 16.

A resilient metal diaphragm 18 held `by a flanged collar 19 on a plug bushing 20 in a lateral opening 2l of the casing, carries a threaded stem 22 passing through the diaphragm and held in place liquid tight by a pair of nuts 23 clamping against the diaphragm. The inner end. 2li of the stem engages under and is held down by the valve member 16, whereby when the valve member is raised, said diaphragm is slightly `buckled and said inner end is raised by the action of the weighted outer end 25.

A short horizontal exteriorly threaded pipe 28 is passed inte said riser just below the check valve and has its inner end cut oil' at an angle of about 45 degrees to form an upper hood portion 30 adapted to increase the water pressure in the pipe when the water surges upwardly in the riser as by water hammer or the like.

An inner casing head 3l provided with a tapped boss 32 screwed on a short distance on said pipe and having a small lat-` eral pressure equalizing vent 33 not covered by the pipe, carries a casing body 35 having an intermediate partition 36 vforming an inner bellows chamber 37 and an outer diaphragm chamber 38 both normally iilled with water. i

A strong iieXible diaphragm 40 is disposed between t-he outer edge of the casing body and an outer casing head Ll1 held in place by screws 42. A packing strip Li3 around` the edge and margi-n of both faces of said diaphragm between the diaphragm and said body and outer head respectively seals the diaphragm and spaces it from the outer head.

A threaded lever 45 passing through a central opening 46 of the head, and a mid opening 47 of said partition and through the diaphragm 40, is held in place by nuts 48 turned tight against both faces of said diaphragm for sealing the lever in the diaphragm and is provided at the inner end with a vertical slot carrying a roller 49 en gaged by the lower tace of a cam lug`48 centrally mounted on the outer closed end of a corrugated metal bellows 50 having its outer end closed and its inner end secured on and communicating with said boss 32, whereby to depress the roller and said in.- ner end as the bellows is expanded under the pressure induced in the hood 30, thereby to raise the heavy outer end 51 or' the lever 45.

A normally energized relay magnet 55` connected by conductors 56 and 57 in a closedseries circuit with a constant current battery 58, normally holds raised a pivoted armature. 60 Vadapted to engage a contact, jlwhen lowered thereby to ring an alarm bell 62 connected by conductors 63, in seriesv with said armature, said switch contact and a local cell 65, whereby when the magnet is energized the bell is silent and when the magnet is de-energized the bellA rings.

Conducting contact plates 70 and 71 mounted on and insulated from the lower face ofsaid weighted and heavy ends 25 and 51 respectively are adapted to engage pairs of contacts 7 2, 7 3 to form switches connected in series with each other by conductors 76, 77 78 respectively connected to the conductors 56, 57, thereby forming a shunt around said relay magnet. 55, whereby when Vboth ot said switches are closed at the same time, the current is shunted around the magnet, theV magnet is de-energized and the bell sounded. Y

The pressure equalizing vent 33 permits theentire filling of the casing Vwith water from thel riser and establishes equal static pressure within and without the bellows to prevent its rupture, but the vent is so small that sudden pressure within the bellows is not` equalizedf. The sudden pressure within the bellows distends the bellows and also to an extent presses out the diaphragm 40, but as the diaphragm is much larger than the head of the bellows the movement of the latter is much greater.v

The operation of the system is as follows:

As shown inthe ligure, the end 51 of the lever 4,5 is normally depressed and the end 25 is normally raised, thus breaking the Y shunt, circuit76, 77 78 permitting the battery 58 to energize the magnet thereby to contacts 72. As the raising of the valve 1G would cause no increased pressure in the lower part olf the riser 10, there would be no distension ofthe bellows, and the end 51 would remain depressed, thus completing the shunt 7G, 77, 78 shunting the batt-ery current around and cle-energizing the 1nagnet 55, thus causing the armature 60 to fall and the bell to ring. l

lt however, there should be water hammer or other' upward surge olE water in the riser such as would cause the end to bridge the contacts 72, it is not desired that the bell should ring, as this would be a false alarm. rThis is prevented as follows The upward surge caused by the water hammer raises somewhat the pressure in the lower part of the riser, and to this is added in the pipe the pressure caused by the surging water striking in the hood 30. These pressures cause the distending of the bellows 50, the depression by the cam lug 48' ot the roller 49 and the raising of the end 51 and the breaking of the shunt 76, 77 and 78, thus preventing the shunting of the current around the solenoid, thus preventing the deenergizing of the magnet and the ringing ot a false alarm.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a. conduit; a cheek valve therein having a valve member and a projecting stem held raised by said member when closed; a pipe passed into said conduit between the valve and the inlet end of the conduit; a casingv having a vent communicating with said pipe; a bellows in the casing communicating with the pipe; a projecting lever raised by said bellows when distended; an alarm bell; and electric means including a circuit closed by said stem and lever when both are down at the same time, :tor bringing about the ringing ol said bell.

2. In combination, a casing; a riser; a check valve therein; a valve member; and an intermediately fulcrumed stem passing liquid tight through said casing and engaging under said member; a pipe passed into said riser below the valve; a. casing communicating with said pipe; a diaphragm across the outer end or' the casing; a bellows communicating with the pipe; a lever ypassing through said diaphragm and movable by said bellows; a battery; a relay magnet in a closed series circuit with said battery; an alarm bell rung by said relay; pairs ot contacts engaged by said stem and lever respectively; and conductors connected to said contacts for forming a shunt around said magnet when said stem and lever are down at the same time.

llo

3.In combination, a conduit; a check valve therein having a casing and a valve member; an intermediately ulcrumed stem passing liquid tight through said casing and engaging under `said member; a disabling means actuated by pressure in said conduit between said valve and the source o supply of the liquid and including a projecting lever; an alarm bell; and electric means including a circuit closed by said stem and lever when both are in actuating position at the same time, i'or bringing about the ringing of said bell. n

4. In combination, a conduit; an actuating device therein actuated by the flow ofliquid in the conduit; a pipe passed into said conduit between said device and the source of liquid supply; a casing having a vent. communicating with said pipe; a bellows 1n the casing communicating with the pipe; a projecting lever raised by said bellows when distended; a disabling means actuated by said lever and a signal operated by the actuation of said device and disabled by the actuation of said means.

5. In combination, a conduit; an actuating device therein actuated by the flow of liquid in the conduit; a pipe passed into said conduit between the device and the inlet end of the conduit; a bellows mounted on and communicating with the pipe; a lever raised by said bellows when distended; a disabling means actuated by said lever and a signal operated by the actuation of said device and disabled by the actuation of said means.

6. In combination, a riser; -a check valve therein having a valve member and a projecting stem held raised by said member when closed; a pipe passed into said riser below the valve; a casing provided with a boss screwed on said pipe and having a vent not covered by the pipe; said casing having a partition having an opening therein and forming inner and outer chambers; a strong diaphragm secured across the outer open end of the casing; a lever passing liquid tight through said strong diaphragm ;V abellows in 'said inner chamber mounted on and communicating with said pipe; a roller on the inner end of said lever; a cam lugV on the bellows and engaging over said roller; and electric means including a circuit closed by said stem and lever when both are down at the same time, for bringing about the ringing of the bell.

7. In combination, a pair of actuating devices each comprising a movable member; a battery; a relay magnet in a closed series circuit with said battery; an actuating device actuated by said relay; pairs of contacts engaged by said members respectively; and conductors connected to said contacts for forminga shunt around said magnet when said members Vare in contact position at the same time. i i

8. In combination, a conduit; an actuating device therein actuated by the flow of liquid in the conduit and including a projecting stem; a disabling means actuated by pressure in said conduit including a projecting lever; a battery; a relay having a. magnet in a closed series circuit with said battery; an alarm bell rung by said relay when the magnet is deeenergized; conducting plates on the outer end ot said stem and lever re spectively; pairs of contacts cngageable by` said stem and lever; and conductors connected to said contacts for forming a shunt around said magnet when said stem and lever are down at the same time.

9. In combination, a casing provided with an inlet opening and ay large opening, the casing being otherwise closed; a diaphragm secured across the large opening, whereby .said casing is entirely closed except at said inlet opening; a movable element disposed across said casing between said openings; the active area of said diaphragm being greater than the area of said movable element; a member passing liquid tight through said diaphragm and moved by said element; and an alarm device controlled by said member.

10. In combination, a casing provided with an inlet opening and a large opening, the casing being otherwise closed; a diaphragm secured across the larger opening, whereby said casing is entirely closed eX- cept at said inlet opening; a movable member disposed across said casing between said openings; the active area of said diaphragm being more than twice as great as the area of said movable member; a stein passing liquid tight through said diaphragm and moved by said member; and an: alarm device controlled by said stem.

l1. In combination, a pipe; a rigid casing secured on said pipe and having a large opening therein; a diaphragm secured across the opening, whereby said casing is entirely closed against exterior communication except into said pipe; a member pass ing liquid tight through said diaphragm; an alarm device controlled by said member; and a bellows in said casing communicating with and mounted on said pipe and adapted to move said member; the active area o said diaphragm being about three times greater than the head ot the bellows.

12. In combination, a casing provided with an inlet opening; a movable bellows member disposed across said casing between said openingand a wall of the casing; a lever passing liquid tight through said wall; au alarm device controlled by said lever; and a cam lug on said member engaging said lever.

13. In combination, a casing provided with an inlet opening; a movable bellows member disposed across said casing between said opening. and a Wall of the easing; a 0am on said member; a lever passing liquid tight through said Wall perpendicular' to said Amember and moved by said cam; and an alarm deviee controlled by said lever.

14. In combination, a riser; a pipe passed into said riser; a easing provided with a boss screwed onto said pipe; a diaphragm secured across the outer open end of checas ing; Wherebyvsaid casing' is entirely closed against exterior comi'nunication except into said pipe; alever passing liquid tight through said diaphragm; an alarm device controlled by said lever; a bellows m said 15 casing communicating and mounted ou said boss; and a eam on said head engaging the end of said lever.

15. In combination; a riser; a pipe passed into said riser; a easing provided with a boss screwed onto said pipe and provided with a vent not Covered by the pipe; a lever passing liquid tight through a wall oi the casing; an alarm device controlled by said lever; and a bellows in said easing :1nd com munieuting with and mounted on said boss and adapted to move said lever. i

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State or' New York this 10th day Vof November A. D. 1925.

,JM/[Es e. NoLEN. 

